Penn State hires lawyer to settle Sandusky claims

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The lawyer who ran the Sept. 11 victim fund and other major victim compensation efforts has been hired by Penn State in its effort to settle personal injury claims related to former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky’s molestations.

Penn State said Thursday that it retained the Washington, D.C., law firm led by Ken Feinberg for what the university described as an effort to resolve all litigation, including claims that have not been filed, by the end of the year.

Feinberg also helped resolve claims that arose from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Virginia Tech massacre and the Vietnam War defoliant Agent Orange.

At least four lawsuits are in the works against Penn State over Sandusky, who is scheduled to be sentenced next month for sexually abusing 10 boys.

Attorneys for Sandusky’s victims from the criminal case and other potential claimants had said recently that the school hadn’t followed up on its pledge to settle the civil claims quickly and fairly.

Philadelphia lawyer Joel Feller, part of a team that represents four of the 10 victims in Sandusky’s criminal case, as well as Sandusky’s adopted son Matt Sandusky and other claimants, said he was waiting to learn more about how the school plans to proceed.

“Whether this is a positive or negative step will be determined solely by Penn State taking responsibility for the compensatory and punitive damages owed to these young men,” Feller said.

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